Saving Sakura
by SmallButPowerful
Summary: Why Ino decided to become a ninja, from her father's point of view. Origninally titled 'Career Choices'.


A/N: Just something that happened to be floating around in my head. Enjoy!

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It was a hot summer day in Konoha, the kind where even people from Suna would head for cover. Inoichi was a young father, and a good one, so on this sweltering day, Inoichi would be found heading to the beach, a five year old Ino in tow. Her mother had dressed her in a purple sun dress, one Ino had picked out herself, and her new bathing suit, also purple. Though her relatives had always showered her in pink, Ino always asserted that she liked purple better.

She held her father's hand, while telling him all about the day she'd spent with her mother. Ino expressively explained how her mother had taught her how to cut the flowers so they lived longer, how to store them, and how to arrange the flowers into pretty little bundles.

Then Ino said the words that sent a pang through her father's heart, "Daddy, when I grow up, I want to work at the Flower Shop."

He didn't show how much it hurt him that his only child didn't want to follow in his footsteps, instead, he simply responded, "Well sweetie, I'm sure you'll be great at it." And all the way to the beach, Inoichi tried to convince himself this was for the best. This way his precious daughter would never be in danger, she'd never be exposed to the horrors of ninja life, and he'd never have to worry when she left on a mission. Yes, he decided, this was a good thing.

But still, in the back of his mind, Inoichi knew his daughter could be great. He could teach her all of his mind transfer jutsu's, and there were so few people who could perform them. She was smart, and talented, and a quick learner. She would have been a great ninja, and she could have worked by Akimichi and Nara's children, another great team in the making. However, as I said before, Inoichi was a good father, and he would not force his views on his daughter. Becoming a kuniochi was a choice she would have to make for herself.

They reached the beach, and Ino immediately ran off into the water, abandoning her sun dress with her father. She was a good swimmer, they had put her in lessons a couple years ago, when a series of small children drowned at the lake, and they had started to worry. Now, at merely five years old, Ino could swim better than most ten year olds. So Inoichi didn't worry much, he just picked a spot in the shade and watched as his daughter befriended some other little girls.

Ino was good at making friends, people were just drawn to her bright spirit and cute attitude. Inoichi watched as his young daughter began playing with a girl who had bright pink hair. He watched as they swam out into the deeper end, Ino confidently paddling ahead. His eyes narrowed as the other little girl seemed to be struggling a bit more, but his attention was pulled away when a Frisbee hit him in the side of the head.

It was none other than Chouza Akimichi, who else would ambush him with a toy? The larger man walked up, grinning, his son following. "You let your guard down Inoichi."

"Well I didn't quite expect a Frisbee attack at the beach." Inoichi responded with a frown, rubbing his head and pretending to be wounded, when really only his pride was hurt. Too often his pride was hurt around the Akimichi. However, it was too hot to be really angry, just way too much work for not a lot of satisfaction. Then he realized just how much he sounded like his other partner, the Nara, and frowned more.

Chouza, watching his friend's frown get worse, commented, "Something wrong with your face Inoichi? You're starting to look like Nara when I ask if he wants to train." Then Chouza burst into laughter at his own joke, while Inoichi just twitched. No wonder he didn't hang out with them more.

Just then, there was a scream, and both ninja's jumped to attention, looking for the cause of the commotion, and wishing they'd worn their weapon's pouches. "Help! My daughter is drowning!" Screeched a lady with pink hair. "I can't swim someone help her!"

Then Inoichi remembered what had been happening before he got hit in the head with a Frisbee, and a blast of alarm shot through him. Of course he was scared for the little girl, but he was also scared that she might drag his daughter down with her. Running into the water, Inoichi realized that he had no reason to be alarmed, for someone was already dragging the pink haired girl out of the water. And that someone was his daughter.

He helped them both out of the water, taking the girl from his daughter's grip. Inoichi laid her down on the beach, delivering one push to her stomach, and immediately the girl began spitting up water, and coughing. "Thank you!" Said the mother, clutching her daughter close.

"You're welcome." Inoichi responded, "But it was all Ino, she saved your daughter." He looked proudly at his own daughter, as she smiled bashfully.

"Thank you Ino, if there is ever anything I can do for you, just let me know." The mother assured her, then left to take her daughter home.

Inoichi decided that was enough of the beach for today, and took Ino buying his daughter an ice cream as they walked. "Ino, you're a hero." He stated, then worried that the little girl might be in shock from what just happened. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah!" She exclaimed, whiled licking the purple popsicle, her favorite treat. "That was really cool." There was a few minutes pause, as the little girl seemed to be deep in thought. Inoichi was dying to know what was going on in her little blonde head, but he waited patiently until she asked, "Daddy, do you get to save a lot of people being a ninja?"

"Yes," Said Inoichi, happy that his daughter was starting to take an interest in his work, but trying not to hope for too much. "Why?" He couldn't help asking.

"I wanna be a kuniochi." Ino said decisively.

"You know it's a lot of hard work." He warned the five year old.

"I know." She responded, big blue eyes looking at her father. "I want to save people Daddy." He felt the grin on his face before he'd even thought to smile.

"I'm glad honey, I'm very glad."

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A/N: Well I tried to keep it short and sweet, but in the end it started to feel a bit rushed. Maybe it's a little too short… but you can be the judge of that. Please leave a message to let me know how I'm doing!


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